Reluctant bliss
by avianLing
Summary: Hermione is fed up with Harry and Ron being stupid, and well, male. She turns to her best friend, Luna Lovegood, and their friendship develops into something more, but Hermione's not quite comfortable with the change. FF Femslash. Rated T.
1. The Animagus Club

Hermione carefully peeked out from behind the bathroom door, searching both ways for her pursuer. Anxious, she made sure that there was nobody in sight before breathing a sign of relief.

Free from pursuit, she straightened her robes and started to make her way to class. Finally.

"Oh damn." She muttered, arriving at the classroom door only to discover that there was nobody there. There was no chance that this would just go away anymore - Hermione granger was *never* late. Everyone would notice, and she didn't have an excuse to give to McGonagall.

Gathering her courage, she tried to achieve the impossible and make herself look presentable.

She opened the door to class.

Her eyes on the floor, she quickly made her way to her seat between Harry and Ron, where she risked a glance at the rest of the class.

Every single person was staring at her. Every last one. McGonagall was frozen half way through extracting Malfoy from a giant purple slug which was trying to mate with his leg.

Malfoy's predicament was forgotten as the stern teacher tried to work out how Hermione granger came to be late to class.

Ron was looking at her with a strange expression, half way between respect and confusion. Harry was looking slightly amused, and Malfoy seemed to have lost control of his bowels.

"Mrs Granger? Why are you so late?" the teacher asked, Malfoys dissolving leg forgotten.

Hermione bit her lip. She hated lying to teachers.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I was in the library and I just lost track of time."

McGonagall considered this. On one hand, Hermione was her best student, guaranteed prefect material and would probably be Head Girl if it weren't for her heritage. It was unlikely that she would lie to a teacher, especially her head of house. On the other hand, it wouldn't do to show favouritism, so she had to do something...

"Well, you're 10 minutes late. You'll serve a detention with me tomorrow evening. 8o'clock." She said promptly.

Harry and Ron didn't looked phased by her announcement, but Hermione flinched.

This would be her first ever detention which she had earned! Obviously, the ones received when assisting Harry didn't count, nor did detentions given by Snape.

Blast that Luna!

Luna had tracked her down, somehow, inside the library. Hermione had been haunted by the girl since they had returned to school. She had met the blonde girl on the train, and they had started talking, Luna chatting about imaginary creatures and Hermione had argued with her all the way to school, barely noticing the time passing as Luna argued backwards and forwards over dozens of topics. Since then, they'd met several times - sometimes studying quietly, and other times Luna had played devil's advocate, helping her hash out her theories about a difficult essay. Luna was the only person who seemed to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with her, without trying to convince her to mark her essays or play chess.

She'd began to depend on the other girl, to seek her presence when she was fed up with Rons bickering. She'd felt like she connected with Luna, that there was someone else who looked at the world and tried to find the controls which made it work. Luna had quickly progressed to being her best friend.

Then everything had changed.

She'd been alone and angry after the first task, where Ron had expected Harry to immediately forgive him. He'd been so stupid that he'd stuck out at her. Hurt, she had sought out her only true friend.

Luna.

The ravenclaw had welcomed her with open arms, let her rage about the stupidity of boys; Ron for expecting Harry to forgive him without a word, and Harry for doing so. Why couldn't Harry see that Ron only cared for his fame?

Luna had made soothing noises, and just listened. Something few people bothered to do, instead preferring to assume that anything she had to say was worthless outside of academia. The blonde had patiently listened, nodding and encouraging, as Hermione talked and talked, until she felt that every little part of her relationship with the boys had been dug up and mentioned.

How she wanted to hit Ron every time he did something stupid, how she hated the way that nobody looked beyond her bookish exterior. How people looked down on her for reading Hogwarts: a history, even after it had saved their lives from a Basilisk. Malfoy. Snape. This stupid tournament and the stupidity of wizards.

Luna had tentatively moved closer, and embraced the older girl in a hug. Holding her tightly, Luna had rubbed her back soothingly.

They had remained locked in that embrace until morning came, when Hermione realised that she didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay in Luna's arms.

That had shocked her immensely, and she had immediately broken away, suggesting that they go to breakfast before people noticed that they'd gone.

The next few weeks had been difficult. It became harder to pretend that Luna was just a friend. Hermione would snap out of a trance to realise that she'd been staring at Luna. She would find it difficult to leave the other girls' side. She even dreamed of Luna, waking up beside her, walking through Rome and Paris, hand in hand.

There was nothing sexual about her attraction, she thought with relief. It was simply a desire for intimacy with someone who could understand her, she told herself. Nothing wrong with that.

Still, it was hard to deny that she was in love with Luna Lovegood. Hence this crazy game of cat and mouse. She kept trying to avoid Luna, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as the ravenclaw began to actively search for her, ambushing her in the library. Which was why she had been hiding in a bathroom.

It was too damn hard to stay away from the girl!

She missed the intelligent conversation, and having a friend who was interested in something other than an easy pass on a test. Someone who wanted her for more than her skill at homework.

She missed Luna like a drug. Every time she saw her it became harder to stay away.

She was jerked from her musings by the bell.

"Saved by the bell." She muttered to herself.

Immediately, she remembered when she had explained to Luna where the phrase had come from. Luna had listened to the story of how people were sometimes buried alive, and the graves would include a rope to a bell above ground. When they rung the bell, someone would come and dig them up, 'saving' them from death. Luna had then explained in her 'loony' voice that the phrase was derived from Tibetan monks who would animate large bells to scare away winged cruchsnufflers. Hermione had been confused and slightly intimidated by Luna's sudden personality change, until she noticed a very confused Victor Krum lurking nearby. The confusion on his face made it clear that he had been eavesdropping. Luna stared right at him until he left the library.

It clicked for Hermione.

"You said that to scare him away..."

Luna nodded and smiled. A big, real smile which lit up her whole face.

Hermione felt her heart ache at the memory. She liked Luna smiling. It felt good.

"Mrs Granger!"

Oh no - Mc Gonagall was back.

"Would you like to share your daydream with the class? Or would you prefer to transfigure your beetle?" she asked.

Hermione blushed bright red.

"I hope that the rest of you have managed some success?" McGonagall asked the class.

"What's this, Granger isn't the first to finish?" Malfoy taunted with glee.

"10 points from slytherin, Mr. Malfoy" Mc Gonagall said stiffly.

When Malfoy made to argue, she glared at him.

"What's up with her?" Ron whispered - once Mc Gonagall was out of ear shot, of course.

"Didn't you hear?" Lavender leaned forwards from the desk behind them to whisper.

"Luna melted her desk, all over the other students." She whispered.

"She got detention for the week, and lost Ravenclaw lots of points."

Hermione winced. The other claws didn't like Luna much at the best of times, and that was when she regularly won points in charms and divination. If she lost points it would be terrible.

Then her mind caught up with what Lavender had said first.

She had detention with Luna.

"Okay. I can do this." Hermione assured herself, breathing deeply.

She gripped the doorknob and turned it before her nerves got the better of her.

Her first real detention.

Even 'this glorious occasion' - as the twins had called it - was overshadowed by her nerves at having to spend time in close quarters with Luna.

She sighed softly and opened the door.

Inside waited Professor McGonagall, a pile of books, and a tired looking blond.

The last person drew her attention like a magnet.

Luna looked like hell.

Her hair was no longer the lustrous blond it had been; instead it was frizzy and looked as though she hadn't washed it recently. Her robes were creased, and her face was turned towards the floor. It wasn't her appearance which looked bad, it was her posture. Luna looked like a lost soul.

It made her heart ache to see her friend looking so forlorn.

Hermione was jerked back to reality by McGonagall clearing her throat.

"I am highly surprised by your behaviour recently, Mrs. Granger." She began.

Hermione winced automatically.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I've been so busy helping Harry with the tournament and revising and ..."

"Hermione, you're not in trouble." the professor soothed.

Perhaps she was going crazy.

Yes, that was it. Otherwise, why would her head of house be telling her that she wasn't in trouble *in a detention*?

Her confusion must have shown on her face, as the professor chuckled and continued.

"You're here because you are my most capable students in transfiguration."

Hermione snuck a glance at Luna. She'd never mentioned her skill in transfiguration before, Luna was mainly interested in journalism and charms. Particularly animation charms.

She almost giggled at the memory of her applying those skills.

"... And the ministry have decided, in their infinite wisdom, to announce to Beauxbaton and Durmstrang that Hogwarts hosts an animagus training program."

"But we don't have an animagus training program..." Luna said.

Professor McGonagall looked grim.

"Unfortunately, the ministry doesn't know the meaning of the phrase 'look before you leap'. They're demanding that we produce an animagus program, and capable animagi, to top the other schools. That's why you're here."

Hermione couldn't help the giant grin which spread across her face.

Animagi!

She'd get to become an animagus - and with ministry approval!

"You'll be training here, with me, 4 nights a week."

Hermione almost gasped, and she heard an intake of air from Luna. That was a lot of time. Loads. Especially with OWLs next year...

No wonder McGonagall looked upset. This would take a massive amount of effort on her part, and all to keep the ministry happy!

Hermione couldn't make herself feel guilty, however. Animagi!

McGonagall handed both her and Luna a book on anatomy and the theory of human transfiguration.

"I expect you to read these books, take notes on the relevant parts. I expect you to study every aspect of this without my supervision."

With that, McGonagall left the room.

Hermione was slightly shocked, couldn't help but run her fingers lovingly over the new book. Knowledge was power, and she was on a major power-trip right now.

She rushed to a seat and started reading immediately.

How the bones work, the shape and form, and how they were connected together. What order one had to change them to prevent the bones from crushing one another. A rather disgusting diagram showing it done wrong.

Engrossed in her reading, she didn't notice Luna approach until the other girl was almost touching her.

"Hermione?" Luna asked timidly.

Hermione looked up from her book, immediately confused. She still didn't know what she felt for Luna, and if they were going to be spending so much time together, she needed to get over her attraction to her.

The other girls next words destroyed any chance she had of that happening.

"Are we still friends?"

Friends.

Friends was *everything* to Luna. She'd never had any friends before, she'd told Hermione. Only Ginny, and even that was only when they were both little.

Since then, when her mother had died, she had rejected the outside world and taken up a facade of insanity to protect herself from people inquiring about her mothers death.

By the time she had reached Hogwarts, the facade was so entrenched that she didn't know any other way to act, so she remained friendless. Until Hermione.

Hermione couldn't deny her this. She'd been so concerned with her reaction to Luna that she hadn't considered what the effect of her actions was on her.

"Of course, Luna. I'm your friend."

Tears appeared in Luna's eyes, and she grabbed Hermione in a hug.

Hermione froze, not willing to move. It felt nice to be held by the other girl, but it felt better to comfort her. Her hands betrayed her as they went around the blonds waist, one rubbing her back and the other threading through Luna's hair.

After the hug was over there was an awkward moment when Hermione realised that she didn't want to let go. It wasn't romantic, she told herself, it was cathartic (A/N relief of built up stress)

Luna, now with a smile on her face, turned to her book and started reading. Hermione continued from where she had left off, tearing through the book like a whirlwind. Becoming an animagus was a dream come true for her.

She'd never actually dreamed of being an animagus, specifically, but being selected to learn something so complex and advanced gave her a thrill down her spine.

"Has harry had any luck with his egg?" Luna asked, about half an hour later.

"No, he hasn't. But then he hasn't really tried." Hermione giggled. She'd missed being able to talk like this.

"Boys. Is he going to leave it to the last minute, or does he expect you to do it?"

Hermione paused.

There was merit in her implied question. Could harry solve the clue himself, or was he totally dependent on her?

In their first year, they'd needed her to solve the potions riddle. Without her, they'd have died, or worse, Quirrel would have got the stone. In their second year, she was the one who worked out that it was a basilisk, and in their third year it was her who realized that Professor Lupin was a werewolf. She couldn't name a single time where Harry or Ron had taken the initiative without her prompting, or outright telling them what to do.

She frowned. She'd never looked at it like that before.

"I don't know. He might expect me to come up with something, but I think he would leave it to the last minute to solve anyway."

Luna smiled her mysterious smile, which always made Hermione feel as though she knew far more about what was going on that she let on. It was like Dumbledore and that twinkle his eye.

"I think that you'd solve it anyway. You can't leave anything unanswered."

Hermione blushed at the almost-compliment. Was it a compliment? It was from a ravenclaw, so probably.

"We tried to open it, and it just made a kind of screaming noise. Nothing works, burning it, silencing it, revealing spells. It just seems to repel magic - we can't even summon it."

Luna looked thoughtful.

"Hermione, how much do you know about ancient runes?"

"I've taken the class, this year and last year, but I don't see how they could be useful."

"No, you need to open your mind."

This was the one annoying thing about Luna - she was focused on opening your mind, weather you wanted to or not.

"If it still can't be summoned, that means that there is still anti-summoning magic in place. If a spell is in place after such a long time, then..."

"Then it must be written in runes, I know." Hermione finished for her. Luna grabbed her arm excitedly.

"But Hermione!" she said, elongating the end of her name.

"It it's in runes, then why not have it triggered by a rune?"

She blinked. It was such a simple idea, but a good one. Unless you knew to look for the runes, it would be almost impossible to discover what the trigger was, except by trial and error. Looking at the runes would simplify the whole task into a simple translation from Norse - or whatever kind of runes were being used - into English, then decoding them to find what was the needed trigger.

"But, how are we going to get the runes in the first place?" Hermione asked, confused. One of the problems with runes was that they could be written anywhere, even on the inside of the material. They could be written in the thickness of paper, slipped between layers of whatever was used to make the egg.

Luna just snorted.

"We'll just ask professor Flitwik if we can use his thumoscillicope."

Hermione blinked once, as Luna tightened the hold on her arm, and began to pull her out of the class room, without her bag.

"Luna! Wait!"

Luna relinquished her hold on Hermione, who quickly rushed over to her bag and reverently placed her new book inside.

"We don't have the egg, and we can't really go and bother professor Flitwick now, can we?"

"It's okay, he's checking in on the charms club tonight." Luna told her.

"Come on!"

With that, Luna slipped her hand into Hermione's and intertwined their fingers.

Before Hermione could protest, she was being pulled away from the room and towards the unknown.

And she couldn't stop smiling.

A/N:

Well, thus ends another chapter.

I chose to end it here so that I could get another chapter out tonight. I find if I try to make the chapters too long then I lose track of what the characters have already done that chapter and it gets repetitive. ( I had Luna taking Hermione's hand about three times in this chapter before I realised and remove them all. Lol )

Also: A *HUGE* thank you to everyone who reviewed!

A big special thanks to rubyparker93, who somehow reviewed within like an hour of me posting the first chapter. 3.

Ruby: Thanks for your suggestions. I was wondering what I was going to do with Harry, and using one of those pairings would give me a way to have him accept Hermione/Luna right off, which removes angst.

Also thanks to obscure999.

Alex.

P.S. I would love ideas for animagus forms, possible other members of the animagus club or pairings for Ron.

Updated: Done a major spellcheck. God, I hadn't noticed how many spelling mistakes there was in this! Sorry, everyone who had to read that.


	2. A Revealing Revelation

Hermione hurried down the corridor, Harry's golden egg clutched tightly in her arms. She was already late, and running into peeves would be terrible.

She finally made it to the third floor room where Luna had instructed her to come. She muttered the password, hoping that this wouldn't be a waste of time. As much as she liked Luna, the girl did have a tendency to focus on strange things. Like professor Flitwiks thaumoscillicope.

The miniature professor hadn't seemed surprised at all when Luna rushed into the middle of charms club and started asking if she could borrow the machine. Even more strange was the sight they made when they introduced Hermione to the large machine. She wondered how often this sort of thing happened – Flitwik didn't seem fazed at all by the interruption.

The device was massive - the size of a large elephant. Covered in dials, old fashioned valves and pumps. It looked like the insane love child of an enigma machine and a laser - Victorian steampunk hardware connected to a nozzle which wouldn't have looked out of place in one of her fathers star trek scenes. It dwarfed the little man, making him look even smaller than usual, If such a thing were possible.

It turned out that the machine had been built by the boyfriend of a muggle-born student, an engineer, who had used it to analyze runes. Theoretically, by using the machine on the egg, they would be able to find out what runes had been used on the egg, and thus what spells it was under. The actual explanation by the Professor was a lot longer and made far less sense. Sometimes Hermione really regretted missing out on a muggle education.

Luna had talked enthusiastically about the machine, how it did what it did and why. Eventually she had been sent off to collect Harry and his golden egg. When she had told Harry that the machine would analyze the runes based of a fourier reverse transformation theory, he had handed her the egg and gone back to sleep.

The results of the experiment led to her bringing the egg to this room, an hour after curfew. For some reason.

She sighed.

Sometimes, she wished that Luna would be a bit more logical. Sometimes. But mostly she just wanted to laugh at whatever it was the blond had done this time.

"Pine fresh" she muttered.

The door opened at the password, revealing -

A bathroom.

Hermione's jaw dropped.

Scratch that, this was a swimming pool. It was so ridiculously opulent that she couldn't believe it. Who on earth would build a swimming pool with hundreds of gold plated taps?

More to the point, who would decide to fill the pool with giant pink rabbit shaped bubbles?

"Hermione!"

Stupid question, really. Hermione jumped, as Luna emerged from the foam.

"Luna - "

Whatever Hermione was going to say was driven from her mind when Luna was completely revealed. She was wearing a small bathing suit, one which clung to her hips and drew Hermiones gaze like a moth to the flame. In years to come, when Harry would ask the students of the DA to think of a happy memory for a patronus, *This* is what she would think of.

"Did you bring the egg?" Luna asked eagerly.

Hermione snapped out of her daze. Wordlessly, she handed the egg to Luna, who grinned and took it under her arm.

"Come on!"

Luna turned and walked into the pool, her hips swaying hypnotically. With an unexpected dive, she entered the water, still carrying the egg.

Hermione was speechless. She was in trouble.

She heard the sound of someone breaking the surface of the water, but they were obscured by the bubbles and bunny shaped foam.

"Hermione" Luna whined "Come on in!"

"I.. I don't have a uh, anything to wear" Hermione said, regretting coming. Sort of.

Luna muttered an incantation and the bunny bubbles departed, revealing Luna once again.

"Tosh." Said Luna decisively. She waved her wand again and suddenly Hermione was standing in a white bikini.

"LUNA!" Hermione yelled. Luna just looked pleased, though one could also describe her expression as being appreciative. Of her handiwork with spells or with Hermiones exposed body, we'll never know.

"Change my clothes back!". Hermione begged, turning to hide her cleavage and the blush spreading down her chest.

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

Hermione sighed. This was the most frustrating part of dealing with Luna. She was just so incredibly stubborn when she thought she was right, and she seldom explained herself if she didn't feel like it.

She snuck a look at Luna, the water failing to hide the curves of her chest. Make that the second most frustrating thing about Luna, she decided.

Then she noticed the slightly glazed look on the swimming girls face.

"Um, Luna." She asked, trying to distract the girl before her blush grew any more pronounced. "Is there something on my butt?"

"Yes" Luna replied immediately, not moving her gaze at all.

Hermione turned, and tried to look at her own bottom. Eventually, after a lot of twisting and turning, she discovered a picture of a crumple horned snorlac on the back of her bikini bottoms.

"Oh."

She turned to face a blushing Luna, and realised that her twisting and turning must have provided quite a show for the other girl. Hermione hurriedly entered the water before she could embarrass herself any more.

The water was still warm, and comfortable as she lowered herself in. The bubbles began to return, and she drifted over to where Luna was sitting with the egg. She took a seat on the underwater ledge – but no to close to the other girl.

Luna swam over, sitting herself right next to Hermione.

"So..." The blond began, the warm air brushing past Hermiones ear and making her shiver. "Have you decided what your animagus form will be yet?"

Hermione didn't trust herself to open her mouth, so she just shook her head.

"No thoughts about it?" Luna continued, sounding bemused.

Hermione didn't seem to have any thoughts at all, unless they concentrated on how intimate it was to be in a bath with Luna Lovegood.

She tried to compose herself, and managed to rally enough to string together a sentence.

"I've thought about becoming a – ah – something – ah – small."

God damn it was hard to concentrate with such a beauty breathing down her neck!

Luna nodded, and blessedly put a few inches between them.

"I guess you're thinking of a crumple horned snorlac" Hermione joked, trying to relieve the tension.

"Oh no. Crumple horned snorlacs would be a very bad idea." Luna said decisively. " They don't like areas with a build up of magic. It's a defence mechanism."

"Defence mechanism? How would not liking magic help?"

"Because where there is magic, there're people. And people like hunting small helpless animals. It's hard enough to turn into an animal without having to fight for control with the animals instincts."

"I always thought that the animals instincts went away when you transformed."

Luna shook her head. "Heavens no. If they did, how would you know how to move the animals body? It's not yours, and you don't know how to use it properly."

Hermione had ran out of things to discuss. The only option was to gaze at Luna ( Which she secretly enjoyed ) or to figure out what kind of animal she wanted to become. But there were so many things to consider!

"What would you look for, in an animal?" She asked, curiously.

"Oh, I'm going to be a wolf." Luna said dreamily. Hermione had been quite concerned with her friend until she had noticed that she only became dreamy when she was thinking about her mother.

"I have a pet wolf, called Grimmy." She explained.

Hermione sighed. That was typical of Luna, but she supposed the animal was a good choice. Wolves were pack animals, and Luna craved the support of her friends. Friend, she mentally corrected.

She couldn't allow her confusion over her feelings to interfere with their friendship. She had seen what Luna looked like when she thought that Hermione had left her, and it wasn't something she wanted to do again.

Besides, what was wrong with being a wolf?

They were smart, fast and dangerous, without being so dangerous as to be shot on sight. They could pretend to be dogs, and nobody would look twice if they seemed friendly.

Plus, a little voice in the back of her head added, she could spend more time with Luna. She squashed the voice out of existence, pretending it had never existed.

"I think a wolf would be a good idea" Hermione stated.

Luna smiled.

"Now that we've got that worked out, it's time to start on this egg. Come on."

She pushed the egg under the surface of the water and opened it. Hermione watched, confused as usual, as Luna immersed her head into the water. After a while, she returned to the surface.  
"Well?" Hermione asked.

Luna took her shoulder, and together they slipped into the water to hear the clue.

A/N:

Well, another chapter! And it only took 6 weeks! I like to pretend my work is aged, like fine wine. So it must be 5 weeks better that it would have been if I posted when I had planned.

I have chosen to make the animagus characters both wolves, because they're not to exotic, or crazy. This isn't a superhero fic after all. Wolves are pretty normal.

I borrowed the idea for Grimmy from Luckner, who's written a few good HP/LL stories. I like it. It fits with my version of Luna.

+extra thanks for everyone who reviewed! I 3 you all!


	3. A Confusing Conversation

It was now the next day, and Hermione had spent the last night tossing and turning in her bed, images of Luna clad in naught but a skimpy swimming costume playing in her mind.  
The suit had covered little, and Luna had been very obliging, unconsciously leaning forwards, showing off her rear to Hermione.  
It was impossible to ignore the evidence - she was bi. She liked girls. Her logical mind wouldn't allow her to ignore it, or avoid it. Instead, her mind had demanded she find more evidence to support her conclusion. At least, that was what she told herself as she discretely checked out the other girls in her dormitory.  
She'd worked out why the boys always seemed to be talking about lavender brown, but then had became too embarrassed and fled to the great hall for breakfast.  
Her companions didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong, Ron because he was stuffing his face and Harry because he had his own problems with the tournament.  
Hermione had been so focused on what had been going on with Luna that she hadn't been thinking ahead, and had ended up telling Harry about the riddle in the egg last night.

She sighed. Poor Harry, he didn't deserve this, and now she had added the eggs clue to his troubles.

He didn't look like he'd slept at all - which made two of them.  
"Do you think they would take the-" Harry began.  
"No." She huffed. He'd been doing this all morning, getting all worked up over what might be stolen for the task.  
"Why not?"  
"Harry, they are not going to steal the mauraders map.".  
Ron stopped eating long enough to gape.  
"How did you know what he was going to say, 'mione?"  
Eyes narrowed, she glared at Ron.  
"Because, **Ronald**, it's very simple. How many precious things does Harry own, aside from his wand – which was a stupid idea, Harry – invisibility cloak, broom or that photo album?"  
Harry looked guilty.  
"Okay, maybe I have been going on about it a bit." Harry admitted.  
"Yes." said a dreamy voice from behind them.  
Hermione gulped.  
"Good morning Ronald." Luna continued, slipping between Hermione and Harry into a space where was no room, resulting in the two girls becoming very, very close.  
Hermione did the one thing humans can be depended on to do when feeling threatened: The wrong thing.  
In this case, the wrong thing to do was to freeze like a statue. This was bad, because Luna seemed to take this as a sign that Hermione didn't mind, and immediately settled into the other girls lap and began to help herself to Hermiones unfinished ( unstarted, to be honest ) bacon.  
"Um..." Hermione started, but she couldn't find the words to express exactly how she felt with her breasts pressed right up against Lunas back, or how it felt to have Lunas legs against hers.  
In short, it was a very awkward - albeit pleasurable - position to be in.  
Luna, however, seemed to be quite comfortable, and settled in.  
"How have you been Harry? Did Hemione return your egg?" The blond asked.  
Harry was quite confused at this point, but he nodded. Agreeing with Luna could be a dangerous strategy.  
"Yes, she did."  
"And you used protective headgear to handle it?"  
"Err, No?" Harry stammered. Hermione ducked her head into the curtain of Lunas hair to hide her giggles. Luna looked at Harry, wide eyed.  
"Oh no, Harold! That won't do at all." She shook her head for emphasis. "Simply not good enough. Whatever were you thinking! The risks involved are simply too great to not use protective clothing."  
Ron was looking at them warily, almost scared of Luna. Hermione didn't understand why he seemed so on edge around her. Then again, she wasn't very calm herself.

"Luna? Why would I need to use protective clothing?" Harry asked, confused.

"Oh, it's just a good precaution. Did you know that in ancient Delphi, scholars wore circlets of white oak to protect their minds from Nargles?" Luna announced happily.

Hermione had to hide another giggle as Harry and Ron exchanged a look. The giggle died as Luna shifted in her lap again, rubbing up against her in an intimate manor. Hermione gripped the edge of the seat. It was the only place to put her hands that wasn't exposed skin.

"Speaking of which, have you decided yet?" Luna continued. There was a short silence before Hermione realised Luna was talking to her. The others just looked lost at the sudden turn of events.

"Um, No. I haven't had the time to think about it properly."

Luna gently extracted herself slightly, turning so that she could look Hermione directly in the eyes. Hermione couldn't look away. When Luna turned her attention to something, her eyes lit up and filled with emotion. They were so pretty and unique, and when she laughed they would sparkle like Dumbledore's eyes.

Now, they were filled with something Hermione couldn't recognise and wasn't sure if she wanted to.

"You think too much." Luna whispered. "You need to feel. Let go."

The last part was for her ears alone, a soft private whisper in a crowded hall. Hermione felt her heart constrict tightly in her chest. Luna was so special.

"I can't let go." Hermione muttered. "I need to do this properly."

"You don't need your books, Hermione. Your life is about more than your grades."

Ron cleared his throat, but was ignored. This was a private moment.

"We're at school, Luna. What's more important than grades?"

"You."

Luna said it with such conviction that it was impossible to doubt. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat.

And then Ron had to interrupt.

"What are you talking about?" He blurted out.

At that exact moment, with Luna in her lap, her heart pounding in her ears , she would have been happy if Ronald Weasley had never been born.

She wished he'd never been born because she was inches from kissing Luna Lovegoods delectable mouth, and she wanted to more than anything she'd ever known.

AN:

Well, it's been a while, but I'm not dead. I've kind of lost track of what direction the story should take, weather or not it should follow the path of cannon or branch out with the lovebirds taking revenge on the greater wizarding world. Oh well, you'll find out.

Thanks, Avian.


End file.
